// Jonathan Papelbon

Welcome back to Sports of Boston’s weekly recap of all things spring training. After sweeping Boston College and Northeastern University, the Boston Red Sox began Grapefruit League action with an 8-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins to round out opening weekend. This week the team played a full slate of games, and we’re happy to […]

Heading into the 2011 season, one of the biggest questions for all of Red Sox Nation will simply be, how good will the bullpen actually be? That is a good question because it seems that every year, it is almost entirely revamped and this offseason, we saw the same thing. Such names as Dan Wheeler, […]

Looking from a distance, trading Jonathan Papelbon may seem silly. The team’s biggest weakness in 2010 was their bullpen, and other than Daniel Bard, Papelbon was the only semi-reliable relief pitcher. He has amassed 188 saves in five full seasons as a closer, with a career 2.22 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP. He’s had three […]

Theo Epstein kept his spotless record of avoid arbitration this week, reaching one-year deals with Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonathan Papelbon. He has never been in arbitration court as general manager of the Red Sox. Jonathan Papelbon Paps, who was in his final year of arbitration eligibility, and barring a contract extension will be a free […]

Though Mariano Rivera is going back to the Yankees for what was originally offered to Derek Jeter, it seems he turned down more money and years from Yankees’ arch-rivals Boston Red Sox. Can you imagine what could have happened with Rivera wearing Red? In 2010, Rivera recorded 33 saves in 38 attempts, a 1.80 ERA […]

According to a source close to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, the Red Sox are likely going to tender a contract to Jonathan Papelbon, “unless something cataclysmic happens in the next few hours.” This move would bring Papelbon to his final year of arbitration eligibility. Paps made $9.35 million in 2010 and would likely earn about $11 […]

Several teams have already (rightfully so) expressed their interest in Cliff Lee, with some even travelling to Hattiesburg, Mississippi to meet with the Ol’ Gunslinger. (Sorry, wrong guy, but close enough to Arkansas.) And whether or not John Henry and Theo Epstein will do what needs to be done and pull the trigger, they really […]

Relief pitching is like refereeing and third base coaches – when it’s great you hardly notice it, and when it stinks it’s all you can talk about. When Red Sox GM Theo Epstein announced that relief pitching would be Boston’s No. 1 offseason priority, it wasn’t a ringing endorsement of the scrapheap left behind in […]

If you can’t make the playoffs, the next-best thing to do is spoil the Yankees’ hopes of winning home-field advantage throughout the first two rounds. That’s exactly what the Red Sox did Sunday, ending their season with an 8-4 victory over the Evil Empire. As a result, the Yankees are relegated to the Wildcard. J.D. […]

The Red Sox, somehow, some way, still had a heart beat entering Sunday’s game against the Yankees. The Sox were looking for a sweep of their rivals: a win would bring them to within 4.5 games of the Wild Card lead, while a loss would push them 6.5 back and likely out of postseason play. […]

It was something David Ortiz had experienced over 300 times before the season even began. It was something Josh Reddick had experienced once. Yet Wednesday night at Fenway, the Red Sox superstar and the Red Sox call-up experienced the same thing: the joy of the home run. Ortiz and Reddick each homered to right, and […]

Jonathan Papelbon entered the game in the eighth inning with the Red Sox clinging to a 4-3 lead and pinch hitter Manny Ramirez at the plate. Everyone in the ballpark and watching on TV were hoping for a strikeout. Instead, he hit Manny, which was probably the second most desirable result. Papelbon worked the Red […]

The Red Sox needed this one. After a rocky week, Boston was able to salvage the road trip, beating the Baltimore Orioles 6-4 on Thursday night. Adrian Beltre homered during a five-run second inning, David Ortiz drove in two runs, and J.D. Drew had three hits for the Red Sox, who won the three-game series. The win […]

If nothing else, this season has been full of drama for the Red Sox. This time, it was another trough rather than a crest, and the Rays walked off with a win 3-2 in 10 innings. The Sox took the lead in the 4th when Adrian Beltre hit a sac fly following a single from […]

Fresh of being spurned by Johnny Damon, the Red Sox entered Friday 5.5 games back of the Yankees and Rays in the AL East and Wild Card. Damon was not in the lineup. Neither was Manny Ramirez, who was claimed by the Sox (the ones in Chicago) earlier in the day. So, it looks like […]